Move to retain oil depots brought before Supreme Court

MANILA, Philippines – A move by the city council of Manila to amend an ordinance to create zones for medium and heavy industries in Manila is actually aimed at allowing the “Big 3” oil firms to operate their depots in the city, a group said yesterday.

Lawyers Vladimir Cabigao and Bonifacio Tumbokon of political party Social Justice Society (SJS) pushing for the closure of the 36-hectare Pandacan oil depot, urged the High Court to take note of Ordinance 7177, passed last Thursday after the SC issued its final ruling upholding Ordinance 8027 that mandates the closure of the depot.

The SJS said it would file a case of indirect contempt against city council members because they showed “a complete disrespect to a legal order of the Honorable Court and would set a bad precedent to the entire country, which may embolden other local government units to circumvent decisions and order of the Court, resulting in the disturbance of the stability of judicial orders and decisions.”

“It is mind-boggling that despite the classification of the petroleum refineries and oil depots as highly pollutive /extremely hazardous industries in the (council’s original) proposed ordinance, the same opts to retain them in the City of Manila by reclassifying their land use to “industrial use,” thereby placing in danger the safety and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants,” the SJS said.

Ordinance 7177 will benefit Chevron Philippines Inc. (formerly Caltex Philippines Inc), Petron Corp. and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., and other heavy- and medium-scale industries in Manila.

A majority of 20 councilors voted to pass the ordinance, while the 14 minority councilors tried to block it. Four were absent. It was reported, however, that Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim still has to sign the draft for it to become an ordinance. Lim said he has yet to study the ordinance before he approves or vetoes it.

Malacañang said it would look into the concerns of the foreign business community on the apparently inconsistent government policies and rulings, which could drive investors away.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman for economic affairs Gary Olivar said concerned government agencies will try to reconcile the concerns of businessmen and the legal issues involved in the oil depots’ stay in Pandacan. – With Paolo Romero